My book, THIS MAKING THAT, is now available for purchase on Amazon!

December 16, 2018

THIS MAKING THAT is now available on Amazon! I’m so excited to share it with you all, and I think it makes the perfect holiday gift for all ages! My hope is that this bright and playful book will evoke a sense of joy and spark creativity in all those who pick it up.

In this blog post, I want to share some behind the scenes details on how this series came to life.

#ThisMakingThat has been a defining narrative in my journey as a creative. The series came to life in 2014 while I was playing with my food. I had some blueberries on the dining room table and decided to put them into a triangle formation. I then realized they kinda looked like a bunch of grapes! I posted the photo on Instagram.

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A few days later I was playing around with a sunflower. It was half dead, so I picked it apart and organized it in a circle on the table. I was just playing around, and realized it looked kinda like a campfire! So I turned it into one, took a photo, and posted it on Instagram.

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After that, my eyes started seeing things differently. My brain associated anything and everything. People saying “cheese” to the camera? How about a camera made of cheese! Or the word Pancake— why can’t that mean a birthday cake in a saucepan?

Nothing was off limits and that way of thinking has come to define my style of creativity that I want to share with the world.

click to read my blog post about how I made this book with BLURB books!

It has been so incredibly fun and rewarding to see that others enjoy these playful twists on reality as much as I do, which is part of what inspired me to bring this series to life in book form.

So, tell me, what’s your favorite page of the book that you’ve seen so far?

Also, check out this video where I tell some more short stories about some of the images in the book.

Buy THIS MAKING THAT on Amazon: http://a.co/d/byWq1Ag By Colette Robinson www.coletterobinson.com instagram.com/coletterobinson

My Interview with Life Lapse: How to Learn Stop Motion on Your iPhone

November 30, 2018

Interview with Colette Robinson and how she started her career as a stop-motion animator. Download Life Lapse for Free: https://lifelapse.app.link/nwgFOX1oGR Full Interview with Colette with access to Tutorials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifelapse_app/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LifeLapseApp/ FOLLOW COLETTE: https://www.instagram.com/coletterobinson/ Portfolio: ColetteRobinson.com Say hello here: helloimcolette@gmail.com Watch my YouTube videos and tutorials here: youtube.com/channel/UCwITKcojANy8RUcWkLdoTCA

I am a self-taught stop motion animator. I started out using my iPhone, and eventually moved to my DSLR. So when Sarah, the founder of stop motion app Life Lapse, asked if she could come out to Stinson for a shoot and interview— I was thrilled! I’m always looking for ways to show others how they can dive into the stop motion world, but not everyone is a photographer or even has a camera. The Life Lapse app is the perfect way to get started.

Check out my interview with Sarah below!

INTERVIEW WITH LIFE LAPSE

Give us the 411 on Colette! (what do you do & where you from)

I’m a photographer specializing in stop motion animation, and I work out of my studio in Stinson Beach!

Did you go to school for photography/videography? If not, what did you study?

I had an interest in photo + video since I was young, but didn’t get accepted into my high school’s video program😭. At Indiana University, I studied Telecommunications with a focus on media marketing + audience analysis. I got my first DSLR camera for Christmas before studying abroad in Argentina, and used it on Auto the whole time! I ended up winning IU’s study abroad photo contest, which made me think it might be something I had an eye for. When I graduated and moved to LA, I went to Creative Photo Workshops weekly, and finally learned how to use my camera on Manual.

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How did you get started in stop motion?

Answer: I’ve loved magic since I was a kid. In 4th grade, I picked up my mom’s camcorder and shot 1-second segments of her cell phone... moving it between each cut. I have no idea why I decided to do this, but I remember watching it back and thinking it was MAGIC! Swipe on this post to see it 😂. I loved magic so much, that I applied to IU after hearing you can major in Magic there. (My parents convinced me out of that though.) After college I worked at a creative agency and was assigned to make creative content for the company’s Instagram account. I started making little stop motions on my iPhone, and one day someone asked me how much I charge. The rest is history!

Did you always know you wanted to be your own boss (if yes, how?) or did this come later?

Not really... I love learning from others and hate being alone! However, I’ve never been great with being told what to do and how to do it. I always treated my teachers and bosses as equals… which sometimes got me into trouble! But I’ve always marched to the beat of my own drum.

How did you know it was time to take the leap and go on your own?

I didn’t land my “dream job” and couldn’t find anything that felt like the right fit. My fiancé Jesse convinced me to give myself a 6-month trial period and see what I could accomplish as a full-time creative. 8 months later I had forgotten that I was supposed to reevaluate at 6 months, and realized I had landed my dream job after all! I don’t think many people ever feel it’s the right time to go full-time on your own. It’s scary to start! It just, happens… and sort of feels meant to be.

What is your creative process when working with a new client?

When working with a new client, I love to meet in person (when possible), get a feel for the brand’s voice— and get to know who I’m working with! Next I figure out what their goals are and start brainstorming. Once we’re aligned on a concept, it’s go time. I storyboard, location scout, prop shop, schedule, and set up the lighting and shoot. I’m very communicative with my clients, often texting them photos and asking questions while I work. I most often use my Sony a7R III, 24-70 2.8 lens, and Dragonframe software. I’m going to be creating a YouTube video soon showing all of my in-studio gear where I’ll dive into what else I use! Once I’ve shot the images, I’ll bring them into Adobe Lightroom and edit. Then I export and bring into Adobe Premiere, and bring together the animation. I then add any sound/music, export, test/optimize for whichever platform it’ll be on, and deliver. It’s a long process and requires a lot of patience, but I really enjoy every step of it.

Why should brands start using stop motion?

Stop motion is very “thumb-stopping” content. It makes people stop and wonder “how’d they do that?!” It performs great as social media ads, and brings personality and life to products.

Why is it important for you to inspire others?

I want to help others unleash their creativity and turn it into something! Like I said before, I only started on my own because I couldn’t land my dream job. I can only imagine how much further I’d be if I had recognized that THIS was my dream job! I notice creativity in people around me ALL the time, but feel like very few choose to pursue it. Making art your job can have that “starving artist” stigma, and I want to inspire people to prove that stereotype wrong. Now more than ever are there ample opportunities to make a successful business out of your art.

Collaboration over competition? Why or why not?

Always. I’ve been shut down by countless people in this industry. It can be tough. But the only person I can control is myself. So I choose to be open, kind, and share with others. I’ve found that when you reach out to collaborate with someone who might be viewed as “competition”, and they say yes, magic happens. I firmly believe that there is enough room for everybody in this industry (and more!). Be competitive with yourself, but don’t compare yourself to others.

How have you integrated Life Lapse into your process?

Over the years I’ve been striving more and more for perfection in my work. I’ve found that doing a test shoot before the real deal is just what I need to practice my animation, see what works and what doesn’t, and prepare for a seamless shoot day. I obviously don’t want to use up 500000 GB on test shoots each week— so I use Life Lapse and shoot on my phone! It’s so simple and requires WAY fewer steps than my process with the high-end gear.

Who you would recommend people to use Life Lapse?

Life Lapse is perfect for brands who don’t have budget to hire a stop motion artist, but would like unique content to showcase their product. It’s also perfect for aspiring stop motion artists, who want to learn like I did!

What is you number one tip for people when creating stop motion?

Keep consistent shadows. Wear dark colors and stand in the EXACT same place for each shot of the animation. This will avoid flickering over your scene. To create even, consistent light, cover your windows and buy a lightstand or two. (These are good, cheap ones!) This will give you full control of the light and avoid outdoor light changing from shot to shot.

What other hacks/tool do you use?

I always use putty to stick things in place. Also, I shoot at a slow shutter speed! 1/15 of a second or slower. It helps reduce flicker.

Where can people follow you? (Your youtube, IG, email, website, etc)

Follow me on Instagram here: Instagram.com/ColetteRobinson

Check out my portfolio here: ColetteRobinson.com

Find out how we can work together, or just say hello here: helloimcolette@gmail.com

Watch my YouTube videos and tutorials here: youtube.com/channel/UCwITKcojANy8RUcWkLdoTCA

If a company is reading this and wants to hire you, what’s the best way they can reach you?

Email me at helloimcolette@gmail.com

You mentioned you can get a daylight studio light off amazon for pretty cheap, care to hook us up with some product page reco’s?.

All of my outdoor photo gear is listed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxCoF93NFRI&t=1s, subscribe to stay in the loop for the next video about my in-studio equipment!

I hope you enjoyed reading the interview! If you have any other questions for me, don’t hesitate to ask!

INTRODUCING MY “THIS MAKING THAT” BOOK

November 13, 2018

As my #ThisMakingThat series has evolved on Instagram since 2014, I’ve dreamed of turning it into a book. The series is so much fun viewed together, and I love the idea of being able to gift something personal to friends and family, and give others a way of sharing it as well. I was so excited when I was approached by Blurb Books to create a This Making That book. I mean, I literally jumped out of my chair. IT’S FINALLY HAPPENING!

The process of creating the book was a blast. Since Blurb Books is an independent, self-publishing platform, I got to have complete control over the look and feel of the book, and they provided the tools to make the whole process understandable. The first thing I decided on was to go with their small square 7x7” photo book. The book is meant to be fun and playful, so it felt like the perfect size. I chose paper with Premium Paper lustre finish, and a hard cover. Next, I collaborated with my friend Trevor of Never Lost Creative to design custom, creative illustrations to go along with each image!

The captions for my #ThisMakingThat images on Instagram were always half the fun, so I knew I needed to showcase the words in a unique way alongside each image. Trevor used Blurb’s Adobe® InDesign® plug-in to design and bring the book together, and he completely brought my vision to life!

After we were done designing, the book was ready and on my doorstep in ONE WEEK! While flipping through the pages for the first time, I could not stop smiling. The quality was so sharp and clean! I’m so excited to bring it to the public, and allow YOU to purchase your very own via Blurb and Amazon. Stay tuned as the book will be available in time to purchase before the holidays! Sign up here to be the first to know.

In celebration of my book launch, I’ll be giving away two books!

As I continue the series, I want to hear from YOU! What #ThisMakingThat ideas do you have? Let me know if the comments, and I’ll pick my 2 favorites to send a book to!

CAMERA GEAR OVERVIEW: What’s in my Yellow Backpack?!

October 4, 2018

You’ve probably seen my yellow backpack in many of my photos… but what’s inside it? Over the years I’ve responded to so many questions about what gear I use, so I figured I’d lay it all out in a video. The exciting part of that is— this video is the first of many to come.

I’ve been thinking about how I can make a bigger impact in this community. I’ve always been an open book in an industry full of competition and secrets— and I’m on a mission to share even more. I’m going to be creating videos about my gear, stop motion animation, how I built my own business, photography tips and more! I’m hoping to empower others to tap into their creativity and explore the world of photography, and to inspire existing photographers to use their camera gear in new mediums.

So let’s get into the gear…

When I first got into photography, I had a Canon Rebel T3i with whatever lens it came with. Since then, over the years I’ve upgraded to the Canon 7D, then the Canon 5d Mark III, and now completely jumped ship to the Sony a7RIII + Sony GM lenses.

Safe to say I’ve invested a lot of research and wasted a lot of money by upgrading, but I finally feel like I have the best set of gear for my photography and videography needs. SO, this first video showcases what I currently use for my outdoor photography— such as weddings, events, product lifestyle, portraits, interior design, landscapes and more! Stay tuned for a separate video specific to in-studio/stop motion animation gear!

Here’s the quiver (details in video):

Sony a7R III Camera

Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM Lens

Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM Lens

Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM Lens

Manfrotto Befree Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod with Ball Head

Lee Filters Foundation Kit / Filter Holder

Lee 4x6 Graduated ND 0.6 & 0.9 Soft Edge Filters

Lee Filters 100 x 100mm Big Stopper

Wireless Remote Control

Sony Camera Flash

GoPro HERO5

GoPro Karma with HERO5 Black

Fjällräven Re-Kånken, Sunflower Yellow

THE BEST GEAR BACKPACK (Wandrd)

Ok, so maybe I don’t keep all this camera gear in my yellow backpack (it’d NEVER FIT!) but you get the idea. Jokes aside, this is the actual camera backpack I recommend.

Please let me know if you have any questions, and if you’re not looking for professional gear— let me know in the comments if you’d like to see recommendations for beginners and hobbyists.

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Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel to be entered to win the 20x30 Stinson Beach print!

-Colette

Taylor & Jeff— Wente Vineyards Wedding

September 6, 2017

Taylor and Jeff are the kind of couple you meet and instantly feel like you've known them forever. Their love for each other seems effortless and they're so much fun to be around! Their wedding day at Wente Vineyards was perfect from beginning to end, and it was such an honor to capture these moments for them. Congrats to the newlyweds!

Vendor Credits: Floral- The Flower House | Gown- Sarah Seven | Hair/MU- Status Salon | Venue- Wente Vineyards | Planner- Elizabeth Rincon & Kayla Rootz